11 Internet Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

The ways in which a business person can exploit the internet are enormous. For people operating small businesses such as retail outlets, small hotels/ restaurants or a hair salon here are some online marketing tips that will help you reach your customers efficiently. With the right internet marketing strategies, you will not only retain your loyal customers but will also attract new clients.

1. Be familiar with your target audience

Be very specific about the people you want to reach with your advertising campaign. Based on the characteristics of your products, you will know exactly whom you want to sell to. Your target will be based on social position, age, gender and financial position. When defining your target you must know the benefits that your service or product offers and who will greatly appreciate and benefit from the service.

2. Evaluate the content and have a clear goal

Remember that your main aim is to have more people visiting and liking your website. Break down the goals into small bits that can be achieved efficiently, and can then be measured to keep track of your progress. With online marketing content is king, that is not about to change. The material should be unique and useful but most of all it should be informative, giving people a chance to learn new things. An Internet marketing company will help make sure that the content is regularly updated. Let the content match your goals.

3. Blog and keep blogging

It does not matter how good your website is without regular blogs that are chatty, informative and unique, rather than sales pitches, you will lose followers. Establish yourself as an expert in your field through blog posts that keep your customers updated. Blogging regularly increases your websites chance of being found on search engines. A good SEO copywriter will you introduce more traffic to your site which will eventually translate to more customers. A call to action appearing somewhere on your blog will definitely encourage people to visit your store to see what you have to offer.

4. Utilise Analytics tools to measure your progress

With marketing, you need to be at the top of the game at all times. You need to know where your clients come from, how long they stay on your site and the things they find interesting when they get there. You need to utilise analytic techniques that you can find free on Google. You will then be in a position to track every lead. You can use a dedicated phone number to keep in touch with all the website visitors who call you. If you don’t have such a phone number, contact an internet marketing company who will issue you a unique number then forward all your incoming calls. This will ensure that your customers’ needs and queries are dealt with promptly and efficiently.

5. Plan your budget well

After knowing what to say and to whom, you need to come up with a budget that will work for you. One of the best ways to do this is by choosing activities that complement each other. Don’t keep spending money on ideas that are not working. By monitoring the results, you will know which parts of your plan to drop and which ones to improve. Make content that is mobile friendly so that your target can see your content even when they are away from their home or work computers.

6. Don’t forget to utilise social media marketing

This has become a very popular method of marketing, if you are not already using social media, start right away. Through platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ businesses get double the marketing leads produced through traditional trade shows and direct mails. Facebook, for instance, is one of the platforms where a small business can create a meaningful relationship by sharing relevant information. You also get a chance to comment and respond to your fans queries. In America, people spend one in every seven minutes on social media.

7. Know what your competitors are doing

Visit your competitors’ website regularly to see if your keywords are being used there. This is an easy way to keep track of what is going on in your circles. You will also learn a few tips to employ on your site to bring in more traffic.

8. Concentrate on what is happening in your locality.

Your company should be available on Google Maps with frequently updated information. And there are other online search directories that you can use to create a local digital footprint for your company. For great local influence let your internet marketing company publish blogs that focus on local news and gossips. When writing your content be location specific.

9. Utilise short videos

The benefits of using videos cannot be overlooked. Make use of YouTube or Metacafe to keep your clients informed. When using video marketing, use popular platforms that will maintain your business image and still reach your target.

10. Leverage on the power of mobile marketing

According to Google, mobile marketing is no longer an option. It is compulsory. Most people are now using smartphones, so make sure that your site has content that is mobile friendly. Ensure that people can access your content when using all the different mobile phones available and that the apps that you use will be accessible to your customers.

11. Be a unique brand

Online users are particular and knowledgeable about what they want so don’t try to fabricate information. Be real. Authenticity is the key. If your customers suspect that your content is not genuine, then your goods and services will suffer. For a seamless digital presence, consider personalising up to date communication. Be there on Twitter and all other platforms and be sure to respond to your customers promptly.

Applying the above tips will make you stand out in your industry because your competitors may not even be aware of them. Note that you can hire an internet marketing company to handle all the work for you especially if you are not familiar with this sector or you are understaffed. Internet marketing is an essential element of modern business, even when you do not conduct your sales online. Consumers trust online reviews from fellow consumers so make your online presence heard loud and clear.

As a multi-disciplinary Melbourne-based agency with marketing, design, development, and content creation departments, we understand the full scope of getting a digital product up and running (i.e. a website, an app, an article, a marketing product, etc). When combined with our Business Incubator department, we are in a unique position to assist your business in growing.